Metal-reinforced-concrete timbering for mine-tunnels.



Patented May 23, 1911.

8 SHEETS-SHERT L .D. W. SHEPARD METAL REINPORGED GONGRETE TIMBERING FDRMINE TUNNELS.

` APPLICATION FILED' JAN. 25, 1909. 992,81 3.

nil-Immers Pz-rrns co.. wAsnmctpN. n. c.

' D. W.l SHEPARD.

METAL REINEORGED CONCRETE TIMBBRING FOR MINE TUNNELS. APPLIOATION FILEDJAN.'25, 1909.

. Patented May 23, 1911.

a SHEETS-SHEET z.

D. W.`SHEPARD.

METAL REINFORGED CONCRETE TIMBERING FOR MINE TUNNELS.

APPLICATION PILEDJAN. 25, 1909.

992,813. j Patented May 23,1911.

a SHEETS-sinn s.

Swalmen@ l l mi omus Frrtns cv.. wAsulNcroN. n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENTy OFFICE.

DARWIN W. SI-IEPARD, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR 'I0-THE SHEPARDPATENT CEMENT MINE AND TUNNEL TIMBERING COMPANY, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

Specification of Letters Patent. l

Patented May 23, 1911.

Application filed January 25, 1909. Serial No. 474,005.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DARWIN W7. SHEPARD, l a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city and county of Denver and Statefof Colorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metal-Reinforced-Concrete Timbering for Mine-Tunnels; and I do declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to improvements in metal reinforced concretetimbering for' mine tunnels. It is levident that this timbering may beemployed for tunneling purposes whether for mining or other uses. Thebeams, which are employed in my improved construction, are composed ofconcrete, or similar material,my object being to provide these beamswith a metal reinforcement, which shall be so distributed as to give thebeams the necessary strength or capacity to resist strains to themaximum degree. In accomplishing this purpose, I provide the beams withmetal rods extending longitudinally, and also lwith cooperatingstirrups, which are arranged to coperate with the longitudinalreinforcement for the purpose aforesaid.

Having briefly outlined my improved construction, as well as the objectsI expect to attainr therefrom, I will proceed to describe the invention,reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which isillustrated the embodiment thereof.

In this drawing yFigure l is a cross section taken through a tunnel,with my improved timbering shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsection taken through one of the bottom beams of the tunnel. Fig. 3 is atransverse section of the same, taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2. Fig. 4isk a side elevation, showing the metal reinforcement for one of the topbeams of the tunnel, the outlines of the beam being indicated by dottedlines. Fig. 5 is a cross section of the same, being asection taken onthe line 5 5, Fig. 4. Fig. 6 k,is a top plan view, illustrating metalreinforcement for one of the lagging or side bars employed in connectionwith kthe beams. Fig. is aside elevation of the section of the timberingof the tunnel viewed from the outside, thelagging being broken away atboth ends to expose the metal reinforcement. Fig. 8 is a top plan View,illustrating the metal reinforcement 'of one of the bottom beams of atunnel. In this case the body of the beam is outlined or indicated bydotted lines. Fig.v 9 is a similar View of one of the side beams, thoughin this case it must be assumed that the beam is laid with its innerVertical surface downwardly. In thisy case the top view of the beamwould be the outside View, if the beam were occupying an approximatelyvertical position, as isnecessary in the tunnel.

yIt may be stated that Fig. 4 illustrates the metal reinforcement of theside beams as well as that of the top beams of the tunnel, though theform indicated by the dotted outline is that of the top beam.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts inall the views.

, Let 'the numeral 5 designate a top beam; 6 a bottom beam, and 7 theside beams, consti-` tuting the timbering of a mine or other tunnel. Iwill first describe the bottom beam 6 in detail. 1 Y

Let the numeral 4 designate the body of the beam, which is composed ofconcrete or similar material. Extending lengthwise' of this beam is anumber of rods 8, forming a part of Y the metal reinforcement. The

greater portion of these rods occupies a'position near the bot-tom ofthe beam; their extremities, however, are upturned, as shown at 9,occupying a position forming an angle of about 45 with the vertical. Thecentral portion of each rod isbent upwardly, forming two parts l0,making angles of about 45 with the vertical, and meeting in an apex, asshown at l2 midway between the extremities of the beam, and occupying aposition above the center thereof. On the opposite sides of the centerof the beam, and between the parts 10 and 9 of the metal reinforcement,the beam is equipped with stirrups whose bottom members l'are locatedimmediately below the rods 8. The sides of these stirrups ext-endupwardly, and are inclined as illustrated in the drawing. As shown, anumber of these stirrups are located on each vside of the lines ofstrain or pressure, these lines being indicated by the rails 3 of a cartrack. As shown inthe drawing, three of the stirrups are inclined towardthe left,

while three other stirrups are inclined toward the right on oppositesides of plan-es, cutting the rails 3 longitudinally and the beam 6transversely. This arrangement of the stirrups is believed to be mostadvantageous where the beams are used for supporting railway tracks andtrains which pass thereover. As shown in the drawing, each stirrup isprovided with side members 14, which extend upwardly from the oppositeextremities of the bottom member 13. The free extremities of the sidemembers 14 are bent inwardly for anchoring purposes, as shown at 15.

The metal reinforcement of the top beams consists of rods havingstraight bottom members 16, which occupy positions near the bottom ofthe beam, and whose extremities are turned upwardly at right angles, asshown at 17, and deiected inwardly, as shown at 18. These deflected endportions terminate at 19, where the rod is curved downwardly from itsopposite extremities, as shown at 20. These curved portions of the rodare continued into a straight, or approximately straight, portion 21,which is centrally located between the extremities of the beam andparallel therewith. The members 16, 18, 20 and 21, as illustrated in thedrawing, are formed from a single rod bent as explained. As illustrated(see Fig. 5),the beam is provided with two of these rods, thus givingthe beam four metal reinforcing members, extending lengthwise thereof.Each beam is further provided with a series of stirrups of substantiallythe same construction as those heretofore described, and composed of thebottom members 13; side members 14, and inwardly turned free extremities15. A series of these stirrups is inclined in opposite directions onopposite sides of the central portion of the beam, in order to give thelatter the necessary strength to resist strains when pressure is appliedfrom above, as when these beams constitute the top timbers of thetunnel.

The side beams 7 have substantially the same metal reinforcement as thetop beams 5. In describing the reinforcement of the side beams, however,it must be explained that the members 16 are located near the innersurface of the side beam, but near the bottom surface of the top beam;while the part-s 18, which are located at the extremities of the sidebeam, extend outwardly from the bend 17, the parts 2O being curvedinwardly from the bends 19, while the members 21 are located near theinner surface of the beam and in the same plane as the correspondingportion of the members 16. 1t will also be necessary to state that thestirrups in the case of the side beams are upwardly inclined above thecentral portion of the beam and downwardly inclined below its centralportion. 1t will thus be seen that the metal reinforcement of the sidebeams is substantially that of the top beams, but by reason of thedifferent position in which the side beams are placed, the location ofthe various members of the metal reinforcement requires a separatedescription, as herein given. It will be understood that in theformation of these beams, the metal reinforcing parts will be arrangedand properly supported within the molds in which the beams are formed,the plastic material being poured into the molds until reinforcing partsare embedded therein.

Each of the side beams 7 is equipped with hooks 22, having upwardlyturned extremities. These hooks form the support for the lagging members23, which consist of slabs composed of concrete and metal reinforced bythe use of rods 24. These slabs are used for both the side and top wallsof the tunnel. The top slabs are simply laid upon the upper surface ofthe top beams 5.

As illustrated in the drawing (see Fig. 1), the ends of the bottom beam6 are slightly cut away, as shown at A., forming offsets B., where theyare engaged by the lower extremities of the side beam 7; while theextremities of the top beams are similarly cut away from their lowersurface, as shown at C. and offset at D., where they are engaged by theupper extremities of the side beam 7. Furthermore, the side beams arepreferably slightly inclined inwardly from their lower extremities asthey extend upwardly.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is:

1. A timbering structure for tunnels, comprising a framework composed ofupright side beams, metal reinforcing rods extending lengthwise of thesaid beams, each of the said rods being formed into a loop and havingits opposite ends brought together at one end of the beam, one side ofthe loop being straight, while the other side of the loop is curved sothat its central portion lies in the same plane as the straight portionof the loop, the opposite ends of the loop being arranged to occupy aplane transversely of that occupied by the two sides of the loop, thesaid ends being inclined toward the center of the beam, whereby the twosides of the loop are spaced apart, substantially as described.

2. A tunneling structure composed of beams having metal rods extendinglengthwise of the beams, the rods of the top and side beams consistingof a loop extending lengthwise of the beam and having its opposite endsbrought together at one end of the beam, one side of the loop beingstraight and lying near the outer surface of the beam, while the otherside of the loop is curved so that its central portion lies in the sameplane as the straight side of the loop, the beam, whereby the. two sidesof the loop 10 the opposite ends of the loop being arranged are spacedapart, substantially as described.

to occupy a plane transversely of that oc- In testimony whereof I aiiixmy signature cupied by the two side members, whereby in presence of twowitnesses. v 5 the extremities of the curved slde of the DARWIN W.SHEPARD.

loop are arranged near the opposite side of the beam from that of thestraight side Witnesses:

of the loop, the said end portions of the Jnssm FQHOBART, loop beinginclined toward the center of A. EBERT OBRIEN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. Y

